


Sleepless in National City

by LostInAmazon



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Lori Luthor is here, Not really evil Luthors, Sleepless in Seattle AU, no powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-14 19:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15395658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInAmazon/pseuds/LostInAmazon
Summary: Tired of seeing her mom sad after her dad's death, Lori Luthor takes it upon herself to call a talk-show to find her mother a new husband. Or a new wife.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, english is not my native language. So any mistakes are totally my fault.

 

“Are you okay?”

Lena took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

She lost count of how many times people asked her that since the funeral.

Was she okay?

Shouldn’t that be obvious?

Every time someone asked that Lena felt like screaming from the top of her lungs, “Of course I’m not okay, you idiot, can’t you see? My husband just died of some kind of cancer that spread through his body so quick that he almost didn’t have time to wish his daughter the last ‘happy birthday’ she would ever hear him say. He didn’t even have the chance to fight back. And all I have now is a six-year-old to raise on my own because he’s not coming back.”

But of course she couldn’t answer that, specially not to her best friend.

Because Sam had been there for Lena from the beginning.

She was the first person Lena met on her very first day at the R&D department of her family’s company, fresh out of college, only twenty and trying to prove her parents she was worth it, despite being only half theirs, biologically speaking. Sam showed her around, told her the basics and didn’t felt sorry for the poor billionaire girl who would never be good enough like her brother. Only at the end of that first day Lena realized Sam had been down at the lab for a quick financial report, but she stood by Lena’s side for the rest of the day, even during lunch when she told her everything about her baby girl, Ruby.

Sam was there when her dad died, and she was the one holding Lena’s hand when later that same year her mother called saying Lex had a mental break down, unable to handle the pressure of being the CEO of an empire. “I’ll take care of things for now. Until you feel you’re ready.” Lillian said.

(Lena never felt ready.)

And it was Sam who introduced her old college friend, Jack, to Lena.

He was tall and had dark hair falling over his beautiful brown eyes and cute dimples and _fuck_ did he know how to talk science.

Lena was immediately in love. And obviously scared.

“He’s not Veronica, he won’t break your heart. He’s crazy about you, Lena.”

And Lena was crazy about Jack, too.

Jack was so amazing even Lillian couldn’t find a thing to criticize about their relationship, always inviting them to special dinners and telling everyone who had ears about how her daughter and her boyfriend were trying to find a cure for cancer (the irony.)

Where Lena had been serious and almost cold at times, Jack was always giving people warm smiles, being genuinely interested in what they had to say, and making silly jokes even in the most inappropriate occasions, like when he decided to give her a lap dance in their bedroom at the sound of _“Time of our life.”_

“I can’t believe I’m going to marry you.” She said then while trying to hold back a laugh.

“Are you saying I can’t be sexy?” He asked, raising a strong eyebrow in a comical manner, hands on his hips and shirt only half opened.

Lena smiled then, shaking her head, before saying matter of factly, “Absolutely not! You’re _very_ sexy, love.”

“Then my safe word is ‘God save the Queen’!” He said, before carrying her to bed only to tickle her sides.

Jack was calm when they found out Lena was pregnant just a week before their wedding, and his eyes sparkled when nine months later, Lori was born the spitting image of her mother.

And he was calm when they found out only six years later that he was dying.

“I’m not sad, Lena. I had the _perfect_ life with you for nine years. You gave me the most perfect daughter. Granted she could be less of a trouble maker, but I suppose she had to take something after me, right?” Jack chuckled.

“Stop that!” Lena screamed angrily at him, crying. “I don’t _want_ to laugh right now, Jack! I don’t want you to be a memory, I want you to be _here_! With us! I can’t do this without you… I _can’t,_ Jack.”

He stood and hugged her tightly against his chest, letting her cry on his shirt. “You’re my everything, Lena. You and Lori. But there’s nothing we can do about it. When the time comes, I want you to be able to _move on_. Just be sure that I was happy with the life I had.”

Those were the last words Jack told her on the hospital bed, voice weak but still smiling. “Don’t cry, baby. I’m _happy_.”

So of course Lena couldn’t just feel _okay_ after all that.

“I’m sorry, Sam.” Lena sighed, looking through her window to the city below, wondering how people could just go on with their lives when the most amazing man had died not three weeks ago. “In a way you could say that I am okay. But to be honest, I’m feeling… _numb_.”

Sam left the report she pretended to read on the coffee table, when she was actually keeping an eye on her friend, taking a seat on the chair in front of Lena’s desk.

“You don’t have to justify your grief to me, Lena. Or to anyone for that matter.”

Lena bit the inside of her cheek, twisting the wedding band still on her finger, immediately stopping after realizing what she was doing.

“You’re right…” distractedly, Lena reached for her phone inside the pocket of her blazer. “But maybe I’ll never stop grieving in this city. Not when every corner reminds me of him.”

“Wait… you want to move from Metropolis?” Sam asked incredulously as her friend dialed someone’s number.

“Maybe National City it’s good for Lori.”

“But…” Sam tried to interrupt, tried to ask Lena to think a while longer, because she knew what her best friend was doing.

“Mom?” Lena said when Lillian answered her call. “I’m ready.”

 

* * *

 

Kara raised her fists above her head in victory after finally finishing typing the final words of her next article just a few minutes before midnight, which was her deadline or else she’d be really fired this time.

Even though she came to the conclusion Snapper would never go through with his constant threats because he knew _she_ knew she was one of the best investigative reporters CatCo had, the blonde always felt good after proving yet again she was worth it after six years of being constantly bullied by her boss.

Plus, the _real_ boss really liked her.

Kara peaked inside Ms. Grant’s office only to find it empty, proving that it was indeed very late.

Cat was always one of the last to leave the building.

And Winn.

She quickly sent a text to her best friend, who liked to work later than usual, when no one would bother him.

_Kara: Where are you?_

_Winn: TV & Radio._

Kara used to avoid the tv and radio department because it was always so busy and loud and one time she tripped over a wire that put the Catco Radio Station on mute for an entire day until they realized something was wrong.

But walking on the floor during the night shift it almost felt like a different place. The entire room was very quiet, and the guys from tv had already left. Only a few sound assistants were walking around Dr. Leslie Thompkins station cabin, adjusting the final touches of her late radio show _You and Your Emotions_ , where she spotted Winn waving at her direction, pointing to the huge headphones around his neck.

“Hey, what you’re doing here?” Kara asked as soon as she approached him.

“They needed some help, which I provided. Now, take these…” Winn said, already offering the blonde another pair of headphones. “Dr. Thompkins’ show its one of my favourites! Once a guy called saying he could only sleep with his wife while thinking about his boss and turns out the wife was listening from the other room the entire time and asked for a divorce _live_ , it was so good!”

“Winn! That’s horrible!”

He shrugged, “I know! My life’s just so boring, don’t judge me.”

Winn helped the blonde adjust the headphones just as the red lights above the cabin went on, warning them that the show was now live.

“Good evening! This is Catco’s Station broadcasting live across America from National City and welcome back to our nightly show _You and Your Emotions._ I’m Dr. Leslie Thompkins and tonight we’re talking about wishes and dreams. What’s your wish?”

“My wish is to go home!” She whispered so only Winn could hear.

“ _Shh_ … I’m trying to listen!”

Kara couldn’t help smiling after realizing Winn wasn’t kidding when he said he loved Dr. Thompkins’s show as he listened with rapt attention as the psychologist answered the first call for the night.

“The first call it’s from National City, go ahead!” Leslie said.

“ _Hello, this is Lori L-”_ The very young voice was interrupted by a beep sound. Kara soon noticed she wasn’t the only one taken aback by the young voice on the other line. Leslie herself plus Winn and the doctor’s assistants were all looking around at each other, clearly wondering if they should continue or interrupt the transmission, before Dr. Thompkins motioned for them to proceed.

“No last names, Lori.” Leslie explained, clearing her throat as she asked, “You sound much younger than usual. How old are you?”

“ _I’m seven!”_ the little girl promptly said.

“Isn’t it a little past your bedtime, Lori?” Leslie asked with a smile.

“ _No… I mean, yeah, but I just got home from a trip to Metropolis. I’m a little jet- huh… jet… legs, I think_.”

Kara, Winn and the rest of Dr. Thompkins team chuckled at the little girls attempt to say the word.

“Of course, how silly of me. So, what’s your wish for tonight, Lori?”

“ _It’s not for me. It’s for my mom. I think she needs a new husband.”_ The little girl said, before quickly adding, as if she just forgotten. “ _Or a wife! She likes girls, too.”_

Kara felt her mouth hanging open at that, and Winn gasped beside her, poking her side.

“See? That’s what I was talking about!” He whispered and this time, Kara was the one shushing him, suddenly very interested on the show.

“And you don’t like the partner your mom has right now?” Leslie asked.

“ _Oh, she doesn’t have one. That’s the problem.”_

“Where’s your other parent?”

“ _He died_.”

Kara quickly took her headphones off, shaking her head. “I can’t hear this! It’s sad, Winn!” She offered the headphones back to Winn but he grabbed her hand.

“You can’t leave now! We have to know how the story ends!” He said almost in panic. “That’s why Leslie’s here. To help.”

Winn grabbed the headphones and adjusted it around Kara’s head again, making her sit by his side on top of an empty desk.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Lori.” Dr. Thompkins continued.

“ _I was sad, but mom’s even sadder.”_

“I understand. Did you try to talk to her about it?”

“ _No_.”

“Is your mother home?”

“ _Yes, she’s in her office.”_

“Look, Lori, I want to help you. But in order to do that, you have to call your mother so I can talk to her.”

“ _I can’t do that! She’ll kill me!”_ The little girl desperately said.

“You have to trust me. I just want to help, okay?”

The line went silent for a few seconds, before the girl said, “ _Okay, her name’s Lena. But if she’s angry at me, I’ll never listen to your show ever again!”_

Leslie smiled, “Deal.”

The line went silent again for a little longer this time, until a woman said, “ _Hello_?”

Kara felt her skin tingle with goosebumps with the woman’s voice, which was deep and slightly raspy. For some reason she though she already heard that voice somewhere.

“Hello, Lena. This is Dr. Leslie Thompkins of Catco Station.”

“ _Look, I’m not available for an interview right now_.”

Leslie frowned, “No, this is not an interview. This is from Catco’s show _You and Your Emotions._ I’m Dr. Leslie Thompkins and we’re live. Your daughter is worried about you and she called me asking for some advice to help find you a new husband or wife.”

“ _She_ what _? Lorelai, you called a radio station?!”_ The woman yelled, clearly surprised.

“Lena? Are you with me? Lori thinks you’re very sad because of your husband’s death. She’s worried about you. She feels she can’t talk to you about it and maybe I could help.”

“ _She- Lori, come here_!”

“ _Talk to her!_ _She’s a doctor, mom!”_

“Lena?”

“ _Hi… I…”_ The woman sighed, sounding vulnerable this time as she said softly. “ _Yeah, it’s been very hard. Especially in the beginning. But Lori and I will get along just fine. As soon as I take back her new phone_.”

Dr. Thompkins chuckled, “I’m sure you’re a great mom. You can tell a lot about a person through their voice.” Kara nodded, agreeing with the psychologist. “But maybe Lori feels like something is wrong. Have you been sleeping?”

“ _Yes_.”

_“No!”_

“Lena, you have to be honest.”

“ _Look, it’s just… it’s been a year now. And Jack… he was an amazing husband. And the greatest father. I think it’s hard for Lori, not having him around anymore.”_

“Maybe you need someone just as Lori does.” Dr. Thompkins said, “People who truly loved once are far more likely to fall in love again. Lena, do you think there’s someone out there you could love as much as your husband?

The woman didn’t answer right away, but Kara had pressed the headphones so tightly against her ears she could hear the woman’s soft breaths as if they were side by side. She could only imagine how hard it must have been for Lena to lose her husband and be left with their daughter, trying to go on with their lives as best as they could with the loss and grief.

Kara herself was very young when her parents died, often having nightmares of the fire burning their house with her parents trapped inside. If it weren’t for the Danvers, for Alex, she didn’t know where she would’ve been right now. But she knew the grief would never go away. Not completely.

“ _Well, Dr. Thompkins…_ ” Lena finally said after a long sigh, “ _It’s hard to imagine_.”

The doctor nodded, “And what are you going to do?”

“ _Well, I’ll try my best not to think about the perfect life I had for a while. About how as soon as took his hand for a handshake when we met, I knew we were going to be together. And I’ll try not to think about the way he could make my day a million times better with just a smile.”_

Kara didn’t notice she was crying until Winn offered her a Kleenex, before he too dried his own tears.

“This is it, guys. It’s time to wrap up our first call. I’m Dr. Leslie Thompkins and this is _You and Your Emotions_. And to you, Sleepless in National City, I’d like for you to call me back anytime to tell me how you’re doing.”

Lena chuckled and Kara smiled at how beautiful it sounded.

“ _You bet I’ll do, Doc_.”

A few minutes later, when both Kara and Winn were waiting for the Uber they’d share to go home, Winn groaned with his hand over his heart.

“Oh, my God. I think I’m a _little_ bit in love with that woman! Aren’t you?”

Kara snorts at her friend’s words, pushing him inside the car as soon as it approached the curb.

“I’ll never wait for you ever again. Let’s go home!”

But she didn’t say that yes, she fell a little bit in love that night, too.


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as Lena walked inside the kitchen she knew something was… _weird_.

Sam, who was standing very rigidly by the counter, suddenly seemed very interested in the coffee machine, pouring the hot liquid in two mugs and offering one to Lena while _humming_.

The CEO then noticed Ruby and Lori staring at her from the kitchen island, where they were sitting in the high chairs, but as soon as she made eye contact, the pair quickly looked away and started chewing their cereal as if it were the most delicious meal they had in ages.

Lena raised an eyebrow at Sam, but her friend adverted her gaze, turning back to the coffee machine, until she seemed to realize she still had a mug in her hands.

“Okay. What’s going on?” Lena finally asked, looking around the room once more.

“Going on?-”

“ _Pff_ , nothing, Aunt Le-”

“Nothing, nada, _niente_!”

The three of them said at the same still avoiding looking at Lena. She took a deep breath, clenching her jaw before saying a firm, “ _Stop_.”

She was very glad when even Sam looked down at her hands in shame.

“I’m going to ask again. What is going on?”

Sam sighed and ran a hand through her hair, looking towards Ruby and Lori, before finally taking a step away from the counter.

“Before you freak out unnecessarily, the guys from PR are already handling it.” Sam noticed Lena suddenly felt alarmed at that, “But, everything’s fine! No one found out it was you… _yet_.”

When Lena frowned, Sam grabbed a bunch of different newspapers that the CEO didn’t notice before on the kitchen table and offered them to her friend, as well as her tablet, opened in a Catco article that read “ _Who is the widow in search of new love?”_

“ _Fuck_.” Lena whispered.

“Swear jar…” Lori whispered back, still unsure if she was in trouble or not, but she couldn’t let the opportunity to get some money pass.

She was a Luthor after all.

Lena skimmed through the newspapers and every one of them had something to say about the last Dr. Thomkins’s show _You and Your Emotions_ , and how the widow’s daughter led many of the show’s followers to tears with her attempt to find her mother a new partner.

“They… don’t know it was me?” she asked to Sam.

“ _Yet_.” Sam said again, “But to be honest, it’s only a matter of time. That’s why we need to go to the office as soon as possible.”

Lena nodded slowly, before looking up at Lori, who was still looking at the cereal in shame.

Last night, before tucking her to bed, Lena had a very long talk with Lori. After some thought, Lena realized she wasn’t mad Lori called a talk show asking for help to find her a new husband or wife, but she was definitely surprised.

Occasionally she had a nightmare and would climb on Lena’s bed to sleep with her mother, but Lena always thought her daughter handled Jack’s death much better than herself. Even after everything, Lori was still the happy child she was when her dad was around, still got good grades and laughed with her friends.

But talking with the show’s therapist showed Lena that even though Lori never said anything she could still feel her mother’s sadness and she wanted nothing more than to help her mother to be happy again.

She couldn’t be mad at _that_.

“You really got your mom in big trouble this time.” Lena said handling the tablet back to Sam before walking to Lori, running her hand through her daughter’s dark curls, before kissing the top of her head. “Good morning, bug.”

Lori visibly relaxed after hearing the term of endearment, before looking up at her mom expectantly, “Morning, mommy! Can I have my phone back?”

“Absolutely,” Lori smiled brightly. “… _not_. It was worth a try, but you’re still grounded.” Lena added with a smirk, poking Lori’s nose with her index finger as the little girl pouted.

“I told you Tinder would be better.” Ruby said as she stood up, grabbing her backpack.

“God, _no_!” Sam said, scrunching up her nose. “I doubt aunt Lena would like to get unannounced dickpics.”

“What’s a dickpick?” Lori asked so distractedly while mother adjusted her backpack on her back that she didn’t even notice Lena freezing for a moment, glaring at Sam.

“What about the swear jar!?” the thirteen-year-old said loudly while thinking _Geez, kids really must do everything around here_.

 

* * *

 

That morning Kara walked towards work feeling very good.

Snapper had already emailed back saying her article was ‘alright’ which in Snapper language meant the blonde did a great job, and she was already wondering what her next assignment could be.

As she walked inside the Catco building, Kara thought about the little girl from the radio’s talk show with a small smile, still very impressed with Lori’s crazy attempt to find her mother a new partner when most kids wouldn’t do the same, and by just remembering the woman’s voice Kara felt something fluttering inside her stomach.

Kara was pulled back from her thoughts when she walked out of the elevator only to see people running in and out of their offices in a frenzy, talking loudly with each other over their desks, and she was just about to stop someone to ask what the hell was happening when she felt someone pulling her by the arm against a wall.

When Kara turned around she saw Winn looking around with widen eyes.

“Kara, thank God you’re here!” he said, still not looking at the blonde.

“What are yo-”

“ _I want each and every one of my reporters in my office, right now!”_ They turned to see Cat fuming as she stood in front of her office, looking around the room before her eyes fell over Winn and Kara felt her best friend shaking from head to toes. “You too, Mr. Schott.”

“B-But… I’m just an IT guy, Ms. Grant.” He managed to say.

“Did I stutter?” Cat said, “ _Right now!”_ She yelled, storming back inside her office just as all the reporters ran after her.

“What’s happening, Winn?” Kara asked as she followed the herd of reporters inside Ms. Grant’s office.

“Dr. Thompkins’s show! Every gossip magazine, every newspaper and tabloid are talking about the kid looking for a husband or wife for her mother. It’s all over the news…”

Cat Grant turned to face her employees once again, lips still tightly shut in a thin line.

“Yesterday a little girl called our Radio Station asking for Leslie Thompkins’s help to find her mother a new husband or a new wife.” Cat said slowly, and Kara noticed she was trying very hard not to scream again, “This morning we got over five _thousand_ emails of people asking who they are, our phone lines had to be momentarily disconnected because we got two thousand calls for the same reason and _You and Your Emotions_ was on Twitter’s trending topics! Every citizen of National City has only one thing in mind this morning: who is that woman? It was _my_ talk show so why don’t I have a name on my desk yet? If any other media finds out who she is before Catco, every person in this room will be fired.”

They all gulped in unison.

James, being late, walked quietly inside the office, messenger bag still around his shoulder.

“What’s going on?” He whispered.

“Who she is? What she does? Where she lives? I want answers!” Cat continued, before pointing at Winn, “And you, Mr. Schott, I don’t care if you’ll have to hack the White House I want you to find out who called Catco’s _You and Your Emotions_ last night. _”_

“Oh, you’re talking about Lena Luthor?” James casually asked.

Kara turned her head so quick to look at James she almost got a whiplash, just as Cat marched to stand in front of him, hands on her waist.

“What did you just say?” She asked in a dangerous low tone.

James held Ms. Grant’s gaze and Kara would feel a giant amount of admiration for the photographer for being one of the few people in Catco who didn’t feel intimidated by Cat if she wasn’t so personally interested in what he had to say.

“Lena Luthor. We’re talking about her daughter, Lori, who called our show last night, right?”

“Lena _Luthor_?” Cat repeated. “ _The_ Lena Luthor? _Billionaire_ Lena Luthor? CEO of former LuthorCorp, now L-Corp? _That_ Lena Luthor?”

“Huh…” James looked around the room, clearly still confused. “Yes. Precisely.”

Kara, who was repeating the name on her head just like Ms. Grant, found herself asking, “How do you know that?”

“Your cousin, actually. Clark and Lex Luthor were best friends years ago when they still lived in Smallville. They didn’t have much contact after moving to Metropolis, but apparently after taking over LuthorCorp, Lex had a nervous breakdown due to the stressful job and his mother sent him to be treated in Arkham Asylum where Clark still visits him sometimes when he’s in Gotham.” James explained.

“I didn’t know Lena Luthor had a daughter! I didn’t even know she had been married, she’s only thirty-one.” Cat said.

“Well, Lena had just been married and had a baby, so Lillian Luthor was the one taking care of the family’s company. But a few weeks after her husband’s death Lena moved to National City, put her daughter in a private school and stepped up as the new CEO.”

Cat placed her hand on her chin and turned around.

She seemed to be deep in thought, before she suddenly looked around, “Why isn’t anyone taking notes?!”

 

* * *

 

Once Cat shooed them all out of her office to work on their new project, Kara quickly ran to her desk.

_Lena Luthor._

The blonde didn’t understand why she felt this need to know a little bit more about this billionaire CEO Cat and James talked about, but her heart was beating so fast inside her chest as she googled the woman’s name she felt as if she just ran a marathon.

Then only a few seconds later Kara felt suddenly out of breath when on her laptop’s screen the most incredible pair of green eyes stared right back at her. Lena Luthor was the most beautiful woman Kara had ever laid eyes on: black hair falling over her shoulders, enticing green eyes, strong eyebrows, dark lipstick on her lips, defined jaw and pale skin.

The picture was from an old article wrote right after LuthorCorp’s rebranding to L-Corp. It said Lena Luthor was taking over her rightful spot as CEO of one of the most important tech companies in the country and that she looked forward to working in a new city, with new opportunities and that she hoped to make her company a force for good.

At the end of the article there was another picture, where Lena was still dressed in work attire, but attached to her hip was a little girl, no older than five or six years old in a yellow and black school uniform. Kara noticed that despite Lena’s expressionless face, she was holding her daughter tightly against her body as if she was the most precious thing in the world, and that even if the photograph showed only the little girl’s profile, the reporter soon noticed Lori looked _strikingly_ like her mother, a cute dimple on her cheek as she appeared to be in mid-rant.

“Lena and Lori Luthor…” She whispered.

“You won’t believe this… are you smiling at your laptop?”

Kara looked up only to see Winn walking around her desk to get a glimpse of what she was staring at.

“I wasn’t.”

“You were!” He pointed at her laptop as the blonde quickly closed its lid. “That was Lena Luthor!”

Kara almost jumped on top of him in her haste to put her hand over her best friend’s mouth. “ _Shut up_!”

Winn pulled her hand away, smiling nervously.

“No, no, no, Kara… _no_!”

“I-I... I’m not doing anything!” She said.

“Oh, you so are! I _know_ you, Kara!” Winn whispered loudly, looking around them as if they’re plotting something evil.

“You’re one to talk! Only yesterday you were saying you were in love with her!”

“But I was kidding!” Winn blushed, “And… okay, I admit she’s crazy beautiful. But you’re the one mooning over a picture of her with her daughter!”

“It’s _work_!”

Winn gave her a skeptical look, but after a moment he motioned his hand over his lips as if zipping them and throwing the key away.

“Then, if it’s _only_ work you wouldn’t happen to think it’s incredibly interesting the fact that Eve and I called Lori again and even though the little girl said she was grounded and wasn’t _supposed_ to have her phone her mother didn’t say _anything_ about receiving letters from potential love interests and gave us their address.” Winn said, casually running his hands through some files on Kara’s desk.

“You have their address?!”

“Actually, Ms. Grant snatched it from my hands as soon as I wrote it down and she already outed Lena Luthor’s address to _You and Your Emotions_ listeners ‘prosecutions be damned’, but I have a pretty good memory.”

Kara bit her bottom lip.

“Okay… it doesn’t mean I’ll right her, but maybe I should have her address, too.”

“ _Right_ …”

 

* * *

 

 

Lena sighed when she finally got home late that night.

Sam had been right, of course she was.

It was only a matter of time before the press finally realized it was her on the show and by noon, her name was plastered all over the media.

Even L-Corp's doorman told her, "With all due respect, ma'am, but my daughter is single, too."

Walking into the living room, Lena spotted Lillian sitting on the sofa reading her book of that month’s book club she joined after stepping down as LuthorCorp’s CEO. Every day she picked Lori up from school and looked after her granddaughter until Lena got home and after years apart, Lena really didn’t mind the company.

“Hey, mom.” She leaned in to kiss the top of her mother’s head, before taking off her coat.

“Good evening, darling.” Lillian marked the page she was reading and then closed the book, putting it on the coffee table, before saying, “Don’t be mad at her.”

“Every time you say that I end up being a little bit mad. What did she do this time?”

Lillian stood up and grabbed her purse, “She’s still awake. My driver is already outside. Just talk to her, Lena, she’s only trying to help.”

Then Lillian kissed her cheek, walking towards the front door.

Lena took a deep breath before walking to Lori’s bedroom, and sure enough, the little girl was sitting on her bed, already in her pajamas, going through a huge pile of letters scattered over the covers.

“Hey, bug.”

“Look, mommy, they’re all for you!”

Lena frowned and sat at the edge of the bed, taking one of the letters close to Lori’s knee.

“ _Dear Sleepless in National City, my name’s Amanda_ …” She started to read, “You gave them our _address_?”

“They called and asked for it!” Lori explained, looking up at her mom.

“You were grounded, Lorelai.”

“It was only once and it was under a minute, I swear!”

Lena sighed again, pinching the bridge of her nose and trying to remember what her mother had said.

“How did they have our number?”

“I had to give them to go on the air.” Lori said as if it was very obvious. “You said I couldn’t receive of give any calls, you didn’t say I couldn’t receive letters.”

Lena looked away, biting her lip to suppress a smile, because _damn_ that girl was good.

“Okay…” She put and arm around Lori’s body and laid down with her daughter on her chest, smelling that amazing scent of her baby’s hair as she kissed her head. “Before we start to read these, I want you to know it was very wrong to give anyone our address. It could be dangerous, baby bug.”

“I know… gradma told me that. But we have really high walls, and cameras, and we have Jonn, and Vasquez, and Steve and Hal…” she named their security team as if she already knew her mother would be worried.

“Still, let’s try not to make their jobs harder. You’re still grounded, for real this time, little lady.”

Lena motioned for the letter still in Lori’s hand.

“Now, about these letters…”

“They all want to take you out on a date, but we have to choose only the bestest of people. This one is Mike, but I don’t like him.” Lori immediately threw it away.

“Hey, don’t I have a say in this?” She chuckled as Lori picked up another letter and started reading.

“ _Dear Sleepless in Seattle, you’re the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on…_ ” Lori threw that away too, “That’s too obvious, dummy!”

“At this rate I’ll never date anyone.” Lena said.

“No, mommy, you will. I’ll just have to find the _perfect_ one for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for everyone who left kudos and reviews!
> 
> I dont know how many chapters I'll write, but not more than five.
> 
> Still, kudos and reviews are very much appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

If you asked her, Kara would always say she had a healthy life, all things considered.

And sure, she loved junk food as much as anyone, even though Alex insisted that if she kept eating too many potstickers someday she would end up having a heart attack, but they both knew it was very unlikely.

Alex was a doctor. Well, at least kind of, since she worked as an FBI agent for almost ten years now. And she knew her younger sister’s medical records proved that Kara couldn’t have been healthier, God knows how.

In her defense, the reporter always told her family and friends she had a very fast metabolism and she loved working out.

She loved how she could let out her frustrations and anger in the gym.

That Saturday morning, she was supposed to go to the gym and spend some time gossiping with Lucy about how Clark and Lois were still a disgustingly sweet couple even after being married for twelve years and about how their boys were so cute which made them the proudest aunts.

But she didn’t go to the gym.

Kara barely had any sleep for the last couple of days, tossing and turning thinking about Lena and Lori Luthor. The blonde now had The Manor’s (as Winn called the huge private property Lena bought in a very secluded area at the suburbs) address stuck in her brain, and she often caught herself repeating the words, almost afraid she could forget where to send her unwritten letter.

So that morning she decided to run.

As the blonde pushed herself to run slightly faster she couldn’t help but think that Winn was right.

_I’m going crazy. That’s it. I can’t possibly be falling in love with someone I didn’t even met! This must be an early midlife crisis. I’m thirty-two and still single. So what? I’m working my dream job at the Queen of All Media’s company and am damn good at it. I’m pretty sure Cat hinted I’ll be promoted to editor after - shockingly -  Snapper’s approval. I have friends that I love and that love me back, an incredible big sister and even more incredible parents. What could I possibly want more?_

Kara knew she didn’t need to be in a relationship to feel validated.

She learned that from Alex, who had broken off her engagement even though she still loved Maggie, to put her self love above everything else.

But still, Kara knew herself.

She was a romantic.

Every time she believed she had finally found the one, it ended up being a disaster. She mistook the admiration she felt for James for sparks that too soon vanished, briefly dating Adam also proved to be a mistake after Kara realized he _wasn’t_ his mother (okay, she could admit she had a crush on Ms. Grant!), Lucy was very sweet but they knew a long distance relationship wouldn’t work for neither of them, and not to mention the biggest mistake that was Mike Matthews, that jerkface who pretended to be in love with her only to steal her pieces and publish them on his ridiculous blog as if it were his own projects.

Luckily, Cat threatened Mike and Kara never heard of him again, but she knew his blog was still around since Winn hacked it once or twice just for fun.

Kara never had anything serious after that, too busy with work, but she still believed in love.

And after every new article she read about Lena Luthor, Kara felt something inside her growing, the butterflies in her stomach going crazy just thinking about the woman.

Now that Kara knew who she was, Lena’s name was everywhere. She saw it on her way to work on the Luthor’s Children Hospital, at the Children’s Home and Aid and at National City’s Immigrant Center as one of its biggest supporters. It was in huge billboards and TV advertisements and in many Catco computers and laptops and L-Phones, even in hotels and airlines!

It was like she couldn't get away from it.

With a sigh, Kara stopped in front of her building, thighs burning and sweat dripping down her neck, dampening her shirt.

She promised brunch with Alex and now she had only ten minutes to shower and wait for her sister.

Kara stepped out of her bedroom moments later just in time to see Alex walking inside her apartment, arms full of bags from Noonan’s.

“Hey, you! Let me help.” She took the coffee holder from Alex’s hand, kissing her sister’s cheek in the process.

“Good morning!”

Once they settled around the kitchen island, Kara couldn’t help but smile fondly at her sister.

“How are you? I missed you so much these days!”

“I’ve been very busy with work this week, but I’ve missed you, too. But I know I’ve been neglecting my big sister duties.”  

Kara smiled, shaking her head and placing her hand on top of Alex’s.

“Don’t say that! I’m fine.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, “That’s not what I’ve heard from Winn.”

At that, Kara almost spilled the coffee she was drinking all over the FBI agent.

“He _didn’t_ …”

“Oh, he _did_.” Alex poked Kara’s forehead. “And I know _this_ wrinkle. So, tell me all about _you and your emotions_!” She said, holding back a laugh.

“You’re teasing me!”

Alex laughed.

“You’re my little sister, of course I’m teasing you! _Dammit_.” She groaned after trying to open the stuck plastic lid of a peanut butter jar.

Kara took a deep breath, taking the peanut butter from Alex’s hand and easily opening it.

“I know it sounds crazy, okay? But I just can’t stop thinking about this woman, it’s like she’s stuck in my brain and I see her everywhere.”

“Well, she _is_ a very famous billionaire CEO.” Alex mumbled.

“I know! Which is even crazier because not in a million years she would notice _me_!”

“Now hold on a little…”

“No, Alex!” Kara stood up and started pacing around her living room, “I know there’s a very slight chance she’ll notice me, but despite everything I can’t stop thinking about writing this latter asking her out on a date at the NCU’s Planetarium just because I’ve read an interview she gave years ago saying she loves astronomy and that her childhood dream was to visit Mars one day, but she settled for being a scientist instead, and a great one if I may add. I feel like I should take this chance or else someday I’ll regret not writing this letter, but at the same time I’m so afraid of making a fool out of myself and yet I keep thinking about all the things I want to write and maybe I’m going crazy.”

When Kara finally stopped talking slightly out of breath Alex felt she had just been hit by a truck.

“Kara, you’re a basket case.”

The blonde sighed, looking down at her feet.

“I know.”

“But go grab a pen and a paper.”

When Kara looked up again, blue eyes sparkling and hopeful smile on lips, Alex only shrugged, before saying, “You only live once, right?”

 

* * *

 

 

Lena hated work emergencies at L-Corp during the weekend.

She was supposed to enjoy her Saturday at home with her daughter, not in the office.

Luckily Lori didn’t throw a fit when her mother told her she’d have to go to the office, but Lena also couldn’t resist her baby’s pout and that’s how half an hour later, Sam met not only her best friend, but her niece at front of the L-Corp building.

“You have your mom wrapped around your little finger, don’t you, Lori?” Sam asked with a smile on their way up to Lena’s office.

“I do!” Lori offered them a toothy smile that showed off her dimples, raising one of her eyebrows playfully.

Lena gently poked Lori’s ribs to make her daughter giggle, but when she looked up at Sam they shared a knowing sad smile.

Because even though Lori had her mother’s looks, it was her smile that reminded them the most of Jack, the same curve of the lips, wiggle of eyebrows and mischievous look she got when she was about to get in trouble.

That’s how her father used to call her, “The trouble maker.”

Almost two hours later, Sam and Lena finally walked out of her office, where they they had an emergency meeting through video call with one of their new investors from France who needed some last-minute convincing to donate his money to their new pharmaceutical research, one of Jack’s last projects.

They found Jess and Lori talking the secretary’s desk, where they were neatly organizing a few letter in three piles.

“- and did you like this one? I’m not sure.” Lori was saying.

“She did send a picture, but I think your mom would like someone less…artificial.” Jess said, giving the photograph one more look.

“Yeah… her lips are funny. Then it’s a no.” Then they settled the letter in the pile at the far end of the desk.

“What are you guys doing?” Sam asked with a smirk.

“Ms. Luthor! Ms. Arias!” Jess quickly stood up, startled by their presence.

“Oh, we’re reading a few letters!” Lori said and Sam jumped at the chance to read a few of those famous letters.

“Oh, Lena, look!” Sam pointed at the three piles of letter on the desk. “There’s a yes, a maybe and a no section! My niece is the smartest!”

“Oh, _God_ …” Lena groaned as Sam high fived Lori. “I’m so sorry you had to go through this Jess. I didn’t know she brought these letters.”

“I didn’t mind, Ms. Luthor, don’t worry.” Jess blushed, “She only wants the best for you.”

When they finally walked out of the building towards the car waiting for them, Sam waited for them to get inside, before asking, “Are you actually going through with this?”

“I don’t know…” Lena glanced at Lori who was still reading a few letters. “I don’t even know how to date anymore. It’s been over ten years since someone asked me out. What should I do? Should I send them an email? Make an appointment?”

“You can call! Most of them are writing their numbers in here anyway.” Lori said pointing to the pile of letters in her hands.

“See, Lori? That’s the problem of being too popular. Your mother always had people tripping over their feet to get her attention. She never had to ask anyone out!”

“That’s not true!”

“That’s so true.” Sam took a letter from one of Lori’s folders. “But you should totally try this. Did anyone here catch your eye?”

“Not really, to be honest.”

“C’mon, that’s not how this works! What about this one? Gayle Marsh… her name’s sexy.” Sam gave a better look at the picture attached to the letter. “Oh. _She’s_ sexy.”

Lena chuckled, looking at the blonde woman in the picture. “I can’t deny that.”

“Let’s see… Brian Five is cute!”

Lena snorted, “That’s his name? For real?”

“It’s in the letter!” Sam busted out laughing. “But you’re right. I’d never be able to date a guy with this name either.”

“You don’t date guys at all, Sam.”

“You’re totally right!” Sam kissed Lori’s cheek and turned to look at Lena just when the driver stopped in front of her house. “You know who is always making eyes at you? Siobhan Smithe from HR. You should call her.”

Sam offered Lena a card with Siobhan’s name on it, before slipping out of the car.

For the rest of the weekend Lena didn’t think that much about what Sam told her, but on Sunday night when she walked inside her office at home she saw the card her best friend offered her the day before.

Maybe Dr. Thompkins and Lori were right. She loved Jack with every ounce of her being once, she should give herself a chance to be happy again, or at least try.

That’s why a few minutes later Lena unlocked her phone with clammy hands from how nervous she felt and called Siobhan Smithe from HR asking her out for a drink to which the woman promptly said yes.

“Fuck, what did I _just_ do?” She smiled nervously.

Then she heard Lori screaming.

Quickly running upstairs towards the little girl’s bedroom, Lena turned the lights on only to see Lori crying and kicking the covers away from her body.

“Daddy, no! _No!”_

Lena sat at the edge of the bed and gently cupped her daughter’s slightly sweaty cheeks to wake her.

“Hey, baby! Calm down, mommy’s here! I‘m here…”

When Lori’s green eyes finally opened, Lena smiled down at her.

“Mommy…” she whispered, her sobs subsiding. “I was having a bad dream… daddy he was… he was l-leaving a-again…”

“Oh, baby.” Lena laid down on the bed, bringing Lori’s small body against hers. “I miss him, too.”

Lori sniffed quietly a few more times, but Lena knew she was slowly calming down as she ran her hands up and down her back.

“I think I’m starting to forget him.” Lori finally whispered and this time Lena felt her own heart breaking.

“You’ll never have to worry about this, Lori, because I’ll always be here to remind you of him, okay?” She looked down at Lori and gently poked her nose when the girl gave a small nod. “Did you know your dad could open any stuck jar lid? Because he could. He used to say it was his secret super power.”

Lori smiled and pressed her face on the crook of Lena’s neck, falling back asleep seconds later.

 

* * *

 

 Both Kara and Lori didn’t know much lives were about to change when the next Monday morning, Vasquez walked inside the kitchen as the little girl was eating her breakfast and offered her the new letters that arrived.

As she waited for her mom to finish getting ready, Lori absentmindedly opened the first letter at the top of the pile and started to read.

_Dear Sleepless and Daughter,_

_My name is Kara Danvers and I’ve never written a letter like this in my life…_

Lori felt her lips curving in a smile as she read the rest of the letter, because this one…

This one was _perfect._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading.
> 
> I also want to say thank you to all of those who left a comment and kudos, I always appreciate that!

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and reviews are very much appreciated.
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!


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